Keep in the Dark
by Mischa21
Summary: When Betty's anxiety sends her spiraling, Jughead enlists Toni for moral support. The more Betty hangs out with the Southsider, the more she embraces her darker self, leaving her friends to worry they'll lose her for good.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Betty Cooper was falling apart. It pained her boyfriend, Jughead Jones, to see her this way. Even when he closed his eyes to her suffering, it stayed imprinted on his retinas like a nuclear explosion. When she limited herself to nail marks on her palms, he could at least convince himself things weren't that bad. Lately, the situation had become more serious.

That's why he crawled through her window that Friday night, using the ladder Fred Andrews had conveniently left propped against his garage. Jughead's stomach flipped as he ascended his princess's tower. He couldn't believe how far away they'd gotten from his first trip up here.

Betty sat cross-legged on her bed, clad in her pink pajamas, hair in that ever-perfect ponytail. A candle flickered in a jar between her palms. The flames danced across her face like music, casting shadows that matched the ones within her.

He sighed. Though her expression was blank, there wasn't anything strange or unusual about her actions. Perhaps he'd worried for nothing.

Right as he lifted his fist to rap on the windowpane, she plunged her left hand in the jar. The fire bit her, cruel as a venomous snake. Tears rendered her eyes lagoons. The candle slipped from her grasp. It landed on her comforter, alighting the cotton.

He clambered inside and threw his leather jacket on the flames. She continued to sit, silent and unmoving as the Venus de Milo, while he extinguished the fire.

"Betty, what the hell?" He fell to his knees, the carpet chafing through the holes in his jeans, and grasped her hands. Still, she didn't move. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

"It's everything, Jug. My parents fight nonstop. Polly's gone. And things with you and me have been a bit of a rollercoaster." The words splintered in her throat.

"I'm always here for you, no matter what's going on between us. You know that."

"You can't be here all the time. I need to figure out how to cope on my own."

"By burning yourself?" He stroked the pink spot on her pale skin.

"I just wanted to feel something. Is that so wrong?"

Jughead's heart fractured into a thousand pieces. He was no stranger to wanting an escape. It drove his writing, his association with the Southside Serpents, and his frequent self-imposed exile. What did Betty have? The River Vixens and _The_ _Blue & Gold_? The former sounded closer to a punishment.

He cupped her face, drawing her toward him. She let his lips brush hers, but she didn't kiss him back the way she always had before. It was like a memory of yesterday, rather than the promise of tomorrow.

"I'm sorry," she whispered against him. "I love you, Juggie, but I can't deal with this right now. Tonight, I need a friend, not a boyfriend."

"Am I that friend?"

She rested her forehead on his. "Of course. I know I can tell you anything."

He stretched out her bed, pulling her head onto his chest. "Tell me, then."

That's what she did for the next forty-two minutes. She explained it felt like someone had wired a bomb to her heart that would explode if she didn't stay in a constant state of flux. That even when her friends surrounded her, she imagined she stood alone in a soundproofed room where nobody could hear her scream. That it scared her to say any of this out loud, to anyone, including him.

"I'm tired of being perfect. Of feeling like I have to be. Sometimes I wonder why I'm so anxious, anyway. My life's amazing."

"From the outside, maybe. Nobody chooses their brain chemistry, Betty. You should focus on finding a way to get better. Preferably one that doesn't lead to an arson charge."

She propped up on her elbow. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Jellybean's visiting. My dad and I are planning to take her record shopping. Want to come?"

"I shouldn't infringe on your time together."

"You could call Veronica."

"She and Archie have a…thing."

Jughead suppressed a gag. He'd rather not imagine what that entailed, yet somehow that was all he could see in his mind's eye. "What about Toni?"

"You mean to hang out with?"

"I hear friends do that sometimes."

"She's your friend, not mine."

"There's one way to change that. She likes you. At least, she would, if you let her get to know you."

"What do we even have in common?"

"Me."

For the first time that afternoon, a smile curled her glossy pink lips. Maybe Jughead was enough to bind the two girls. After all, Archie had brought her and Veronica together. And every acquaintance was a day away from an epic friendship.

"Tell her I'll meet her at the Whyte Wyrm tomorrow."

He typed Toni's number into Betty's phone. "Tell her yourself."

"Later. I'm busy right now."

"Doing what?"

"This." She kissed one side of his face, then the other, before pressing her lips to his. The current of electricity he'd missed earlier passed between them.

He pulled off the beanie that served as his emotional safeguard and flipped her onto her back. She dragged her fingertips through his hair, lips refusing to break from his. His pulse hammered his scalp. What had started as an awful night was now anything but. Maybe miracles did exist.

The door banged open, and Jughead knew there was no such thing as divine intervention. Or, rather, it was far from on his side. He sprang away from Betty.

Alice Cooper stood in the doorway, arms crossed. "I thought you were doing homework, Elizabeth. I doubt you'll find it lodged in Jughead's throat."

Betty groaned, straightening her ponytail. "Mom, it's Friday night."

"Why aren't you at Pop's like everybody else?"

"Because who doesn't want to resign themselves to a lifetime of diabetes and high cholesterol?" he said.

"Oh, Jughead, you are far too young to be that cynical."

"I'm not judging. My doctor says I have the arteries of a fifty-year-old man."

"Go hang out with your friends," she instructed them. "Maybe then I can rest assured you're not making me a grandmother for the second time."

"Third." Betty smirked.

"Don't remind me." Alice opened the door, waiting until they had both shuffled outside.

Forget their perfect moment. Once again, Betty and Jughead's attempt at privacy had been thwarted. They'd get there someday.

A knife twisted in his heart. Would he have lost Betty forever by then? As much as he wanted the answer to be no, that didn't stop a pinch of worry from plaguing him for the rest of the night.

* * *

Later, after many milkshakes and forced laughter, Betty once again sat alone on her bed. She scrolled through the contacts on her phone. Toni's name leapt out at her. Her pulse quickened. It's not like she had that much in common with the Southsider, whatever Jughead said. This had the potential to get awkward, fast. That was the opposite of what she needed right now, down here in this pit of anxiety.

Yet she should talk to someone. Somehow, it seemed easier to confide in a person she didn't spend every waking moment with. She couldn't care less if Toni judged her. Hell, she didn't even know Betty.

Plus, escaping the house sounded nice. Both of her parents would be home. That was bound to end in an argument, if not an all out screaming and brick-throwing match. A change of scenery couldn't hurt.

At last, she drew in a breath and shot off a text: _Hey, I thought we could get better acquainted sometime. Maybe tomorrow?_

 _Did Jughead put you up to this?_ Toni replied a minute later.

 _I do what I want._

 _My kind of girl. Come to the Whyte Wyrm at ten. I'll warn you, though, it won't be anything like milkshakes at Pop's._

Betty's heart thudded. This was the part where she backed out. It's what her mother would demand, if she walked in right now. Veronica would advise the same thing.

Molten steel settled over her bones. She'd played the good girl for long enough. Look where it'd gotten her. It was time to try something new. After all, there's no reward without risk.

 _I hope not,_ she told Toni. _I'm ready for a change._

 _Loosen your ponytail, Betty. We're going on one hell of a ride._

Betty flopped onto the pillows, a smile spreading across her lips like a crack on the ice of Sweetwater River. She couldn't wait until tomorrow. Whatever happened, it certainly wouldn't bore her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thank you so much for reading!

Chapter Two

Betty climbed off of Jughead's old Honda CB550 outside the Whyte Wyrm. She set her pink helmet down and redid her hair before the bikers could see the haystack the ride had rendered it. Her fingertips quivered on the silky blonde strands. Toni had told her to loosen up. While her ponytail was iconic, that's because she'd never spent much time trying anything else. This weekend was about making a change.

She ripped her hair-tie out. The unrelenting fog frizzed her once-smooth tresses, but her scalp sang. The pressure that had built upon her forehead this morning disappeared. She'd consider that a positive omen.

"Are you sure you can't come with me?" Jughead brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. "It's not that bad listening to Jellybean rattle off Syd Barrett's life story. You just have to accept she's cooler than we'll ever be."

Betty laughed. "Don't underestimate the power of girl time. I'm fine here. Pick me up when you're finished?"

"Definitely. I don't want to think about how your mom would react to you being on this side of the tracks."

Betty suppressed a shudder. She'd asked Jughead for a ride so they'd never have to experience that. She could already imagine what Alice would say if she'd brought the station wagon here. _"Elizabeth, do you know what goes on at that godforsaken bar? I'm amazed you didn't come outside to find the car up on blocks."_

She'd take a hard pass on that lecture.

"See you later, Juggie." She kissed his cheek, then brushed her lips over his.

He shivered. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"By that line of reasoning, I should get jumped into the Serpents."

His forehead crinkled. "In that case, don't do anything your mom wouldn't do."

"My previous answer still stands."

"You know what, have fun." He kissed her again. "You can take care of yourself."

Once upon a time, she would've agreed with that. Insisted on it, in fact. Now, the burn on her palm throbbed underneath the nail punctures she'd made this morning. Jughead should worry. She sure did.

Maybe if she'd told him that, things would've turned out differently. In this particular version of events, she gathered her helmet, smiled, and braved the Whyte Wyrm alone. A frisson of anticipation whispered over her skin. That same rush she'd once gotten from kissing Jughead—or when she'd shoved Chuck Clayton's head underwater.

She shook that memory off, squared her shoulders, and approached the bar. Toni perched on the edge, drying glasses. The pink streaks in her hair matched her flannel shirt. Focusing on her similarity to Jughead helped Betty relax.

"Hey, School Spirit," Toni said by way of greeting.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're one of those River Foxes, right?"

"Vixens, and yes, but not today." Betty plucked the scoop neck of her pink sweater. "I left my uniform at home."

"That's for the best. I doubt my client would approve."

Betty arched an eyebrow. "Your what?"

"We have to make a quick drop before we can start this party." Toni held up a baggie containing a few green buds. "I told you it wouldn't be all milkshakes and innocence today. You in or out?"

Betty bit her lip. Her friendship with Kevin wouldn't save her if Sheriff Keller caught wind of this. Alice wouldn't act so understanding, either. Not even Jughead would approve. "Drug dealing isn't what I signed up for, Toni."

"Come on, it's a dime bag of weed, not a crate of jingle jangle. It'll be legal here soon enough. I'm just dropping it off at a friend's house. You don't have to smoke—unless you want to."

Once again, pressure mounted in Betty's skull. This time it was akin to the crash of a Mack truck, rather than the steady pounding of before. Toni always seemed in sync with her surroundings. Maybe if Betty tried acting more like her, she could be, too.

"When do we leave?" She forced a smile.

Toni returned it. "I'll go warm up the bike."

"The what?"

"Don't act so surprised. I've seen you ride with Jughead."

"That's because I've known him all my life. He'd never hurt me."

Toni leaned across the bar, tucking Betty's hair behind her ear. "Neither will I. Any friend of Jughead's is cool by me. Anyway, you're almost a Serpent yourself. You've already done the first part of our initiation."

She flicked her hand toward the pole affixed to the stage. Betty cringed at the memory of that dance. Her mother had written a think piece about the over-sexualization of teenagers in this town because of that. She hadn't been the only one, either

"Plus, your mom was a Serpent, back in the day." The edge of Toni's mouth pulled up. "It's in your blood, Betty, even if you're not ready to accept that. Isn't that why you came here, instead of meeting me at Pop's?"

Betty exhaled. "I did bring my helmet."

Toni grinned, bright as the sun. "Soon, we'll have you on your own set of wheels."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Betty said, but her shoulders unknotted. The afternoon still had plenty of time to end in disaster. At least it wouldn't involve cracking her skull.

Thirty minutes later, Toni zoomed up to a decrepit apartment building that made the Jones trailer look like a slice of paradise. Betty traded the motorcycle for the sidewalk on her left. The engine's RPMs continued to reverberate in her soles.

She shucked her helmet, head spinning. "I didn't think anyone could ride faster than Jughead."

"Girl, I've got years on him." Toni shook out her hair. "You'll get used to it."

"Maybe I already am."

"That's the spirit." She hung the helmets on the handlebars. "Listen, it's cool if this gets to be too much for you. You can wait here, and I'll take you home as soon as I'm done. No hard feelings."

Yesterday, Betty would've seized that offer like a winning lotto ticket. She was also miserable back then. She'd already pushed herself outside her bubble of comfort and survived. She couldn't quit now. Not when she was finally starting to feel so alive.

"I'm good."

"I'm impressed." Toni surveyed Betty from her tan ankle boots to her skinny jeans to her double-breasted coat. "You might look like you're about to attend a pep rally, but I bet we'll make a Serpent out of you yet."

Blood tingled in Betty's ears. For reasons she couldn't quite explain, adrenaline rushed through her veins. It was something akin to pride. The kind she used to get from her articles in _The_ _Blue & Gold _or a good grade on a test.

She pushed her hair off her shoulders, allowing the air to cool her skin. This was stupid. She'd come here because she had nothing better to do. Nobody would become a Serpent today, least of all perfect Betty Cooper.

She crossed her arms. "Can we get on with this? My mother will alert the National Guard if I'm not home for dinner."

A dark laugh rumbled in Toni's throat. "Only because she has such strong memories of what really goes down on the Southside. She and FP pioneered half the things we do here."

Betty's eyebrows lifted. Someday, Alice had a lot to answer for. For once, this wasn't about her.

The girls walked upstairs in silence. Toni rapped on a door to the tune of "Shave and a Haircut."

"It's the universal stoner knock," she explained.

"The more you know. Though I doubt that little tidbit will help me with my college applications."

"It might be useful once you're on campus."

At that, Betty's ramrod posture loosened. A breeze caught her hair, the way the wind had rippled her clothes on the motorcycle, and she remembered why she'd come here.

Unfortunately, not everyone was on the same page. Sweet Pea answered the door with a sneer. "Why'd you bring her?"

"Chill, Sweet Pea. She's Jughead's girlfriend. That means she's our friend, too." Toni threw an arm around Betty's shoulders.

"Last I checked, this wasn't a babysitting service."

"I don't need anyone to watch me." Betty turned electric underneath Toni's grip. "You're the one who could use a sitter. If your attitude's anything to go by, you're overdue for a nap."

Toni choked on a laugh. Even Sweet Pea's lips twitched as he stepped away from the door to let them inside. Some people could dish it out but not take it. Betty Cooper excelled at everything she did, insults included. Cheryl Blossom would've been proud.

The girls took the couch while he sat on the floor. Betty couldn't help but feel relieved. The orange shag carpet had seen better days—several decades back, most likely. At least the furniture was clean and in one piece.

"You roll." Toni tossed him the bag and a pack of papers.

"Get the princess to do it, since she's some kind of bad girl now."

Betty sunk her nails in her palms, leaning forward. "What's your problem, Sweet Pea? I've never done anything to you."

"Maybe not personally." He slit his eyes like the Serpent he was. "You Northsiders are all the same. You might've forgiven Jughead for joining up. There's no way Alice Cooper's daughter's cool with the Southside."

"You'd be surprised. Right now, supporting my mother and her misguided opinions is dead last on my list of priorities. And I'm a big fan of learning new things, so why don't you shut the hell up and pass that over here?"

For a moment, the sole sounds in the apartment were of three frenetic heartbeats and the faint whoop of sirens outside. The Southsiders stared at Betty, each a bit shell-shocked, before bursting out laughing. The tension dissipated faster than Veronica's allowance in a department store.

"Damn, girl," Toni said. "I should've recorded that. Nobody at the quarry will ever believe you beat Sweet Pea in an argument." She turned to him. "What do you say?"

His omnipresent scowl became the shadow of a grin. He did as Betty had told him to. "All right, Princess. You can stay."

It took him, Toni, and the entire pack of rolling papers to teach Betty how to roll a decent joint. Still, she did it with her own fingers. When she finished, it looked almost as neat as the ones she'd seen on television.

"Not bad for your first try." Toni took the green hit.

Again, that imitation of pride glowed upon Betty's skin. Between the anxiety that ruled her life and her mother's constant disapproval of pretty much everything she did, it'd been a while since she'd felt this way. It was hard not to hang onto it, even if it came from something trivial and, well, illegal.

"Shame you won't get to sample it," Sweet Pea added.

She opened her mouth to agree. Instead, she found herself asking why not. "Do you want me to chip in? I have cash."

"Save your money." He handed her the joint. "Don't inhale too deep, okay? The last thing I need is you coughing up a lung. Jughead would probably force me to donate mine to you."

Toni scoffed. "Like that'd be any good to her. I guarantee she's the only one in this room whose body is a temple."

"Not anymore." With that, Betty brought the slim white stick to her lips and inhaled. She heeded Sweet Pea's warning, yet a fire unlike anything she'd ever felt brewed in her chest. When she exhaled, she half-expected lava to eject from her mouth. She bent in half, coughing until her eyes watered, while he extricated the joint from her fingertips.

Toni collected a glass of water, which Betty downed in a single gulp. "How was it?"

"Ugh." She cleared her throat, still caked with the burnt taste of the weed. "Why does anybody bother with this stuff?"

"Oh, you'll find out. Lie down. I'd hate to see you get knocked on your ass during your first teenage rebellion."

Betty wanted to correct her. She'd done plenty of unsavory things. Almost drowning Chuck in the hot tub. Sleeping at Jughead's trailer when FP was in jail. And, of course, the infamous striptease.

Too bad she couldn't articulate any of this. A tide crashed in her skull before rippling through her limbs and extremities. She stretched out on the couch, using Toni's lap as a pillow. It felt as if they were on a boat. A bit unsettling, but also kind of peaceful.

"I'm very Zen right now," she said to nobody in particular.

Toni patted her head. "I'm sure you are."

Betty looked up at the other girl, suddenly transfixed. "Did you know you have stars in your eyes?"

"That's it." Sweet Pea went to the stereo in the corner. "We're busting out the Pink Floyd."

Toni grabbed the remote off the water-stained coffee table. "Don't even think about it."

"I want to see how high she jumps when 'Time' comes on. I bet we could make it into a viral video."

"That'll go great with the bill from the mortuary after she has a heart attack and dies. Then you two can have matching plots, because Jughead will murder you."

Sweet Pea smirked. "I'd like to see him try."

"He'll have me on his side." She looped her arms around Betty, pulling her upright. "Let's go, Easy Rider."

"What's wrong?" Betty blinked, wide-eyed and innocent as a porcelain doll. "You said we'd have a party."

"You've partied plenty. Trust me, Sweet Pea's mom won't be happy to find a stoned cheerleader on her couch when she comes home."

Betty allowed herself to be led outside, trailing her fingers over the doorframe and banister, amazed by the newfound richness of their textures. He followed to make sure she didn't tumble down the stairs or anything. By the time they reached the parking lot, she was almost normal—in a dreamy, surreal sort of way.

"Need some bungee cords to keep her from falling over?" he joked when Toni started the bike.

"That's not a bad idea."

The precaution, it turned out, was unnecessary. Betty had dipped a toe into the dark side to stop being perfect, but that didn't diminish her predisposition toward flawlessness. She fastened her own helmet, clung to Toni with all her might, and remembered to lean at the appropriate times. Like everything else, she got an A in debauchery.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Jughead waited at the Whyte Wyrm for an hour before Toni texted him. _Get thee to Pop's._

Panic sizzled his spine. Normally, that demand wouldn't concern him. His girlfriend hanging out with a Serpent wasn't normal. Nothing about this day—hell, the past few weeks—had been.

He arrived at the chock'lit shoppe to find Betty sitting behind two empty milkshake glasses and a plate that appeared to have hosted a wealth of cheese fries at one point in its life. Toni's side of the table had nary a crumb.

Cheryl Blossom cut him off. "You better watch your girl. She's slumming it big time. By the looks of it, there'll be a lot more of her soon."

"Too bad there can't be less of you." He crossed his arms.

"Whatever, hobo, I'm out."

He breathed a sigh of relief and ended up choking on her perfume. Still better than a conversation with her.

"Hey, Pop." Betty clicked her fingers. "Can I have a vanilla this time? And maybe a burger?"

Toni swept the dishes aside. "I think you've had enough."

"I'm so hungry." Betty yawned. "Why don't I eat more often? Who cares if I'm too season five Betty Draper? Not everyone can look like a Victoria's Secret model."

"You're preaching to the converted. I don't want you puking on the back of Jughead's bike, that's all."

Betty giggled. Once, then twice. Soon, she cried with laughter.

"What's so funny?" He slid into the seat across from her, next to Toni.

"Your name's Jughead."

He looked at her as though she'd recently crawled out of the primordial ooze. "That's not news, Betty."

"I never realized how ridiculous it sounds. I mean, what was your dad thinking?"

"That it's an improvement on Forsythe."

This time, she laughed to the point of choking. "Your head's not even shaped like a jug."

He reeled Toni outside. "What did you do to her?"

"I swear, she did it to herself."

"Somehow, I doubt that. Because right now, Betty's higher than the Empire State Building, and she's the definition of straight edge."

Toni's teeth pierced her grin. "Yeah, she's Little Miss Perfect. We went to Sweet Pea's, and she accidentally ate one of his pot brownies."

"Toni, you were supposed to make her feel better, not take her on a trip down Mary Jane Lane."

"I'd say she's feeling pretty sublime now."

He walked back inside before Betty could start on the sugar canisters or something. It was official. His life was over. Alice Cooper would kill him and bury him in her backyard and write a series on his missing person case, to boot.

Betty smiled upon his return, eyes teeming with light. Once again, his heart broke. Whereas her melancholy had shattered it before, now her happiness fractured him. Today had been good for her. It wasn't not like she'd become a jingle jangle addict. This was an isolated incident.

He sat next to her, cupping her face. "I love you so much, Betty. It would end me if anything happened to you."

"I'm fine, Juggie." She placed her hands over his. Sincerity glistened in her eyes. "I promise, everything will be okay."

"Not if your mother catches you like this."

"You're such a…" She clicked her fingers.

"Buzzkill?"

"Yes, that."

"Sorry, but somebody's got to face the harsh reality. Can you tell her you're spending the night at Veronica's, so she doesn't murder us both?"

"That depends." She kissed each of his fingertips. "Where will I really be?"

"With me, if you'll have me."

"Of course." She found his lips with her own. "I always will."

He wanted to compliment her sweetness. To say she was perfect to him, no matter how she felt inside, or what her mother said. Before he could get the words out, she crawled over him, went to the counter, and ordered a burger. Maybe, in the long run, that proved they were meant for each other. At the moment, it was more of a slap in the face.

Still, he couldn't deny she had the right idea. He asked Pop for a bunch of food to go and then brought Betty to his trailer. She yawned and slumped against his side, halfway to catatonic already, while he helped her up the stairs.

"What's wrong with her?" FP arched an eyebrow when Jughead laid her on the couch.

"She's stoned. How do I fix her?"

FP set the bag of burgers on the coffee table. Next, he emptied the kitchen cabinets. "There you go."

"Dad, we have to sober her up before Alice finds out. Betty wasn't subtle at Pop's. I'm guessing half of Riverdale knows by now."

"It's weed, Jughead. She'll sleep it off. Let me deal with Alice. I promise, she's in no position to judge."

"Maybe you should write an exposé for _The_ _Blue & Gold _next."

The skin around his father's eyes crinkled. "A Serpent never betrays its own, remember? She might not be one of us in practice anymore. She'll always belong to the Southside, whether she believes it or not. For as much of a pain in the ass as she is, we had some good times in high school."

"You know, refusing to give me details makes me want them more."

"That's something you're going to have to wonder about. Parents should have a few secrets of their own."

"Can you put your shadowy past aside long enough to stay with Betty while I run to the Whyte Wyrm?"

FP's eyes narrowed. "For what?"

"I forgot my phone," Jughead lied, the weight of it pulling on the lining of his jacket.

"Jug, she's not going to sleep forever. When she wakes up, there's a good chance she'll feel embarrassed over whatever she said and did during her journey through the trees. You're the one she'll want to see, not me."

"Then I'll make it a point to come back soon." Now, he didn't ask permission. He swept out the door, intent on discovering everything he'd missed today. He deserved to know before the rest of the town did.

Behind him, FP released a sigh that damn near shook the trailer. He'd learned not to interfere with his son once he'd set his mind on something. About time, too.

Archie Andrews, on the other hand, had not received that memo. He stood by Jughead's bike, wearing his letterman jacket, as per usual.

"You know it's Saturday, right?" Jughead pointed to the crisp fabric. "You don't have to wear that everywhere you go."

Archie's eyebrows scrunched. "I don't think I own another jacket."

"Remind me to lend you one sometime. I have about six." Which seemed strange, considering Jughead's lack of funds, but whatever. He had a style to maintain. "Sorry, Archie, I've got to run."

Archie snapped a hand around Jughead's arm. "I have to talk to you first."

"Can't it wait?"

"It's Betty, man—I think something's wrong with her."

 _Here we go._ "She's been pretty depressed, but I'm handling it. You shouldn't worry."

"How can you say that, Jug? She's my best friend."

"Then what am I?"

"You're tied with her. And whatever you're doing isn't working. I went to Ronnie's earlier and she heard from Kevin, who heard from Moose, who heard from Midge that Cheryl saw Betty and Toni at Pop's this afternoon."

"So, what?" Jughead shook Archie off. "Not everyone makes friends according to their zip code. They can hang out if they want."

"Yeah, but she said Betty was kind of…"

Jughead winced. "What, Archie?"

"High," he whispered, like a reporter might be skulking in the bushes, noting their every word. Come to think of it, Alice Cooper could very well be across the street with her binoculars.

Jughead kept his face straight. "Cheryl Blossom's not the most reliable narrator. Anyway, you don't have room to judge. You did jingle jangle at that party, right?"

Archie staggered backward, as if Jughead had slapped him. They'd had their share of fights, sure. Any previous cruelty between them had been earned, or so they'd felt at the time. Jughead had to make tonight a solo endeavor. Betty was his girlfriend, after all.

He pushed Archie aside and started the bike. He didn't look back as he rode into the night. He didn't need to. Archie's eyes continued to drill him the entire ride to the bar. In spite of that, Jughead arrived alone. A small mercy, he supposed.

Sweet Pea and Toni congregated alongside the building with some other Serpents.

"Hey, man," Sweet Pea greeted him. "You missed all the fun this afternoon. What gives?"

"Familial obligations."

"Aren't we your family?"

"I'm here now." Jughead leaned against the wall, a regular Jordan Catalano. "Listen, I think it's cool you guys hung out with Betty. She's had a rough couple of weeks. Next time, keep your stash where she can't stumble across it. Whatever she does should be her choice."

"Who told you it wasn't?"

Jughead nodded to Toni. "Don't worry, I'm not mad. Just be more careful in the future."

"You should take your own advice." Sweet Pea closed in on Jughead like a moth toward a flame. "Otherwise you might accuse people of things they didn't do."

"What're you saying?"

"Betty wanted to get high. Toni and I tried not to pressure her, but she insisted. Maybe, if you knew her better, you could've figured that out yourself."

Jughead rose onto his toes, his whole body tensing to strike. If he had hackles, they'd stand straight up.

Toni shoved Sweet Pea behind her. "He's not wrong, Jug. Betty doesn't need you to defend her honor. You should talk to her about why she's letting off steam instead."

The words cut deep as a blade and felt every bit as painful. Betty had kept him at arm's length for a while now. No amount of kisses and sweet nothings would change that. He couldn't even say for sure why she'd smoked, or how she'd come to that decision.

For the second time, he disappeared into the night without a backward glance. Everything else was up in the air. Being alone was something he could always remain certain of.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

When Betty awakened, her mouth was made of cotton and she had no idea where she'd gone. She sat up, rubbing her dry, red eyes. The trailer came into focus, and FP along with it. She sighed in relief, then inhaled through her teeth.

"That dream I had was real, wasn't it?" she said.

"I'm afraid so." He handed her a glass of water. "The good news is, you're not the first person to go to Pop's stoned, and you won't be the last, either. Something else will happen tomorrow. By Monday, it won't seem like such a big deal."

"As long as my mother doesn't find out." She withdrew her phone. Excuse or not, if she didn't check in, Alice would no doubt have Sheriff Keller issue an AMBER alert—or, worse, come here.

Already, Betty had about a hundred missed calls and texts. The last read: _Hermione told me you're not with Veronica. Call me NOW._

As usual, she did as she was instructed. The half-life of weed must've been longer than she'd realized, because her fingers didn't shake, her heart didn't race, and she didn't have the urge to claw her palms. She was like a normal girl who hadn't skipped her family dinner.

Yeah, right.

"Elizabeth, where on earth are you?" Alice answered on the first ring.

"Relax, Mom, I'm at Jughead's. I had a big lunch and fell asleep on the couch."

"Then why'd you lie to me?"

"Because I knew you'd act like this. I'm sorry, okay? I'll come over as soon as he gets back." She held the phone away from her face. "Wait a minute, where is he?"

"He had an errand." FP did not look her in the eye.

She returned to the conversation with her mother, which had continued despite her absence.

"If that James Dean wannabe isn't with you, who are you talking to?"

"FP. I'll ask if he can drive me home."

"You'll do no such thing. I'm on my way."

"Are you sure you can handle setting foot on this side of town? Your high heels might get dirty."

"Don't forget who you're talking to, Betty. Play at being a Southsider all you want. I'm from there. Whatever angsty, out of control charade you're planning, I invented it."

Betty could believe that. That didn't mean she wanted her mother to witness her little rebellion. She ended the call, shooting FP a sympathetic glance. "My mom's picking me up. I can wait outside, if you want."

"Don't be ridiculous. I relish any opportunity to speak with your mother," he said without a trace of sarcasm, though his eyes sparkled.

He fetched a bottle of eye drops from the bathroom. She used half of them, but still looked like she'd spent the day at a Grateful Dead concert. Oh, well. Keeping secrets from Alice was an exercise in futility, anyway.

Betty perched on the edge of the couch, eating a burger. Anticipation iced the pit of her stomach. She wished Jughead were here. He'd crack a joke about what would happen next and reassure her the town didn't see her as a total lush. Instead, awkward silence filled the trailer.

"Jughead really loves you, you know." FP smiled. "Even when you took those breaks, his whole face lit up when anyone said your name. I'm sure he's on his way back so he can tell you that himself."

The door banged open at that precise moment. Betty's heart lifted, a bird fluttering at the top of a bell jar, as she prepared to say goodnight to her boyfriend. Except that would have to wait.

Alice strutted inside the trailer. "I've already heard all about you spending the day with that Serpent, Betty. It's one thing for you to watch Jughead follow in his father's footsteps. If you think you're putting a leather jacket, you're mistaken."

Betty sighed. "It's not like that, Mom. We hung out for a few hours and then ate at Pop's, same as I do with my other friends. You have nothing to worry about."

"Is that why I've already heard you were acting completely belligerent at said diner?"

Now, she buried her face in her hands. It was bad enough Toni and Sweet Pea saw how much of a lightweight she was. The entire town witnessing it humiliated her, to say the least.

"Don't worry, Alice." FP rubbed her shoulder with a startling familiarity. "Betty had a few too many milkshakes, but Jughead and I took care of her."

"She's my daughter, FP, and I can look after her myself. In the future, you'd do well to call me in this situation."

"This won't happen again." Betty stood, face flushed, and joined her mother at the door. "Can we go now, or did you two need to rehash whatever happened between you a million years ago?"

FP laughed. "Way to make a guy feel old. What do you say, Alice? Are we done here?"

"We've been done." She pulled Betty outside, where their chariot of a station wagon awaited. In spite of it being parked mere steps from the trailer, and their short time inside, she'd locked the doors.

It was then that Toni Topaz herself waltzed up. "Everything okay?"

"It is now." Alice looked down her nose at the Serpent. "I suggest you stay away from my daughter. You might enjoy acting like a delinquent, but she has a future to worry about. I won't have you—or anyone else—tarnishing it with your antics."

She shot a dark look at the trailer, and heat sizzled Betty's skin. So ridiculous. Even at sixteen years old, her mother micromanaged her life as if she were still a child. She could make her own decisions. The ones she'd made today hadn't been stellar, per se, but she remained alive and well.

"Mom, stop." She wrangled away from Alice's grip, flashing Toni a conspiratorial smile. "I had fun earlier, Toni."

"Likewise. We should do it again sometime."

"How about tomorrow?"

"You're busy with your family." Alice grappled for Betty's hand.

"Fine, I'll see you at school on Monday. Save me a seat at lunch, okay?" Betty waved at Toni.

"You bet. Now, if you'll excuse me, my uncle locked me out again. I'm going to ask if FP will let me crash on the floor. Unless you wanted to have a sleepover?"

Betty's grin widened. "Absolutely."

"Absolutely not," Alice said, and whisked Betty to the car. "Whatever you're doing with that girl, I forbid it."

"Why can't I have friends?"

"It's bad enough you spend all your time with that daughter of a criminal, Veronica Lodge. You already have Kevin and, God help me, Archie and Jughead. That's plenty."

"That's easy for you to say, Mom. You don't understand how I feel. Every day, I'm ready to burst out of my skin. Today's the first time I've felt normal in forever. Why can't you respect that?"

The hard line of Alice's shoulders softened. "I understand better than you think, Betty. I know I don't always make it easy on you. You've experienced more chaos in the past few months than most people do in a lifetime. If I promise to relax from now on, will you refrain from going to the Southside?"

"Of course." Betty hugged her mother with her trademark sweetness.

Alice sniffed her daughter's hair. "Is that marijuana I smell?"

"Mom, please don't ruin this moment. Someone smoked at the Whyte Wyrm. I was a good girl and said no."

Alice sighed. "I'll trust you this once, but you better not test that."

"I promise, I won't." Betty smirked over her mother's shoulder.

Alice had promised to change many times before. Look where it had gotten them. If she thought Betty would fall in line, yet again, she had her daughter mistaken with somebody else. From now on, Betty Cooper was her own person. She'd do what she wanted, consequences be damned.

* * *

Jughead pulled up to the Pembrooke with the creeping sensation he wasn't allowed to set foot in there. He'd visited Veronica before, of course, but never by himself. He half-expected an armed guard to stop him in his tracks.

André wasn't quite a sentry, but he was more than a doorman. He blocked Jughead's path through the lobby, shooting him a discerning glance. "Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Veronica Lodge."

"The Lodges aren't expecting visitors tonight, and they don't allow criminals in their home."

They must've met their quota with Hiram.

Jughead sloughed off his Southside Serpents jacket. "Better? I've visited before. I'm sure if you call Veronica, she'll tell you that."

"That's not necessary." Veronica swished through the door, dazzling André with a pearlescent smile. A dozen shopping bags hung from her wrists. "Carry these for me, Jughead?"

"Yeah, that's why I came to see you."

"You're such a doll." She dumped her cargo on him, high heels clacking the floor. "Thank you, André. I can take it from here."

Jughead joined her in the elevator.

She shook her head. "Smithers never would've questioned you. It's too bad his mother got sick."

"Isn't he, like, seventy years old?"

"So?"

"Shouldn't she have died by now?"

"That's way morbid, Jughead. Anyway, some people live to be a hundred these days. Modern medicine's a miraculous thing." The doors opened, and she led him inside the penthouse. "To what do I owe this pleasure? As happy as I am to see your beanie-wearing self, this isn't typical for us. It's ridiculous. We're dating each other's besties. We should have gotten closer by now."

He set her shopping bags down. "That's kind of why I'm here. Something happened with Betty."

"Please tell me she's not chatting with another serial killer." Veronica sat on the couch, motioning for him to do the same. "I can only take so much doom and gloom in one year."

"It's nothing like that."

"All right, spill. What has our resident Sidney Prescott gotten herself into this time?"

Jughead took a deep breath, removed his hat, and began to pick at the threads. He told Veronica everything. By the end, she looked both impressed and a little irritated.

"That's a bit hypocritical, considering how she treated me during the jingle jangle incident, don't you think?"

"To be fair, the Black Hood blackmailed her."

"I suppose you're right. Are you sure this even worth stressing over? Her letting loose might not be a bad thing. In fact, some people would say it's healthy."

"I'm not worried about her kicking back. It's how she's closing herself off to us. After what happened during my dad's ill-fated retirement party, I'm not sure she should spend time on the Southside, either. I sent her there out of her desperation. I didn't realize she'd go all _Fear and Loathing_ on me."

"One joint isn't quite seventy-five pellets of mescaline, Jug. I'll talk to her for you. Ensure it's a phase and not a lifestyle, so to speak."

"Thanks, V."

"You're a really good boyfriend." She rubbed his shoulder. "If you ask me, Betty's lucky to have you."

"I don't feel that way." He slumped on the couch. "Who knows, maybe she wouldn't have sunk this low if I hadn't broken up with her the last time she started spiraling."

"Don't blame yourself. You did what you thought was right. I think we all know you and Betty work better together than apart. You can't change the past, but you can guarantee you don't repeat your mistakes."

He was about to thank her again when Hiram Lodge ran out, wielding a fireplace poker. "Archie, for the last time, I've told you—"

"Don't worry, Daddy, he already got the message." Veronica sighed.

Hiram skidded to a stop. "My apologies, mija. Jughead, this is a surprise. I'd appreciate it if you didn't stay too late."

"Why not?" Veronica glared. "Then the big bad gangster could keep watch for you. You know, so my boyfriend won't sneak in."

Hiram's eyebrows lifted. "That's an interesting thought."

"I'm joking, Daddy."

A sudden sliminess crawled across Jughead's flesh. He didn't think he could stand to hear her say "daddy" again. As such, he rose to his feet, shrugging his hat and jacket back on.

"I appreciate the offer, Mr. Lodge, but I'm otherwise engaged."

"Some other time, then." Hiram clapped him on the shoulder. "Tell your father I said hello."

"What, you're not going to try to hire him, too? Put a hit out on Archie, why don't you?" Veronica cracked.

"Mija, please."

"Hasta luego, Torombolo." She hugged Jughead goodbye.

He all but fled the scene. Of course, every family had problems. He'd never imagined anyone was more screwed up than the Joneses before he'd met the Lodges. They made drama look like an art form.

Maybe that'd work in his favor. If anybody could set Betty straight, it was Veronica. Once again, B and V would save the day. He sure hoped so. The alternative meant accepting Betty was finally out of his reach. He couldn't do that—not now, not ever.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Betty had expected to be the laughingstock of the school on Monday. As FP had promised, something else had happened on Sunday, and the majority of people had moved on. Some of her fellow River Vixens did side-eye her. And a few Southside Serpents nodded at her. As with the weekend, this instilled a perverse sense of pride in her veins.

Veronica, of course, could always be counted upon to treat Betty as if everything were perfectly normal. That's what best friends were for. That knowledge propelled the two down the hallway, arm in arm.

"Let's get mani-pedis after school," Veronica suggested on their way to the cafeteria.

"We have cheerleading practice."

"Considering the rumors Cheryl's spreading about how you acted at Pop's on Saturday, I thought you might want to take a mental health day."

"Right, because she'll sympathize with that. By the time I make an appearance, everyone will have assumed I'm halfway to checking into rehab."

"Then we'll go afterward. Besides, we have a lot to catch up on. Daddy caught me and Archie in flagrante delicto this weekend."

"And Archie lived to tell the tale?"

"Barely." Veronica trilled with laughter. "First, he tried to jump out the window, but since we're on the top floor, that would've killed him for sure. I'll say this, football practice has been good for him."

"Meaning?"

"In a word, he ran like hell. Anyway, I'm dying to give you the postmortem. Plus, I heard you had quite the weekend yourself. I want all the details, of course." She rested her head on Betty's shoulder outside the door. "Please? I need some girl time with my bestie."

Betty smiled. "It's a date."

"Fabulous."

When they entered the cafeteria, Kevin installed himself on Betty's left. "Don't look now, but those Southside Serpents are staring at you."

She gave no indication she'd heard his order, let alone obeyed it. Toni waved to her from the darkest corner of the room. Betty responded in kind, unable to stop her grin from widening.

"It's fine, you guys," she told her friends. "I spent the weekend with them. They're pretty cool. I'm sitting with them today."

His jaw dropped in horror. "You cannot be serious."

"Why not?"

"The night Toni walked me home from Jughead's trailer, I swear, I saw a knife glinting in her pocket. Not to mention, my dad arrested her."

"Because Mayor McCoy put him up to it."

Kevin shook his head. "She got into a bar fight before that. And I heard she went to juvie in, like, the first grade."

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear." Betty patted his shoulder. "Come with me. You'll see what I mean."

Veronica scoffed. "Joss Whedon isn't writing this show, Betty. We're B and V, not BTVS."

"Or worse, BTK." Kevin gave an exaggerated shudder.

Betty disentangled herself from Veronica, crossing her arms. "You didn't seem to mind them so much when you kissed one of them behind the Twilight, Kev."

"Unlike some people, I learn from my mistakes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the library—to plan your funeral." He flounced before Betty could argue further.

"He's right." Veronica reached for Betty again. "I admire you for trying to blend the sides of our fractured town, but some lines can't be crossed."

"That line of thinking made the Southside what it is, V. It's time for us to stop segregating ourselves and learn to get along."

Veronica bit her lip. "It's not that I disagree. While my father's willing to employ those gangsters for his own purposes, he wouldn't react well to his little girl having lunch with them. I'm sorry, but I have to sit with Archie."

"I don't." Betty crossed the room in several long sweeps. A million eyes raked her from every angle, accompanied by audible gasps. Any other day, this would've given her heart palpitations or sent sweat down her spine.

This wasn't any day. It was her day. This weekend, she'd broken out of her shell, and she'd never go back. She hadn't spent all of Sunday typesetting the _Register_ with her parents for nothing. If everyone intended to treat her like a criminal over one lapse in judgment, she'd damn well meet their expectations.

At last, she was making her own choices. Good or bad, she'd live with them. Love them. The confident glow that had overtaken her proved she'd made the right move.

"Hey, Princess." Sweet Pea bumped her fist upon her approach.

Toni winked. "More like princess of the weeds. I see your mother didn't kill you."

"She tried." Betty sat between them. "I reminded her who's the real Serpent in the family."

The others cackled.

"Maybe not for much longer, huh?" Toni knocked their shoulders together. "You're starting to seem pretty at home over here."

Fangs snorted across from them. "I doubt that."

"Nah, man, she's cool," Sweet Pea said, and proceeded to rehash their weekend.

"Whatever. You can't be half a Serpent, remember? One smoke session does not a member make."

"Fangs is just messing with you," Toni told Betty.

"See you at the quarry." The naysayer rose, fixing his eyes on Betty. "Maybe not all of you, though."

Toni turned to her upon his departure. "Want to prove him wrong?"

"Is tomorrow okay?"

Palpable disappointment pulsed between them. Toni stayed smiling, but her shoulders slumped. "Sure. We go every day. It's not like there's anything else to do on the Southside."

"I'll come," Betty promised, ignoring the curdling of her stomach. River Vixens practice was bound to suck, now that she'd seen the other side. As much as she loved Veronica, Betty didn't care about manicures. Half the time, her nails had engine grease underneath them from working on cars with her dad.

Still, Veronica had been there for Betty since the moment she'd arrived in Riverdale. She and Betty hadn't ditched each other when they'd gotten boyfriends. This was no different.

Betty's heart lifted. They did practically everything together. Why not this?

"Can I bring a friend?" she asked, explaining her plan to show V the better parts of the Southside. Once she saw how cool the Serpents were, she'd back off.

"If you like this girl, you'll leave her at home," Sweet Pea said. "People are split on whether we should keep you around. Veronica Lodge won't make the cut. Anyway, high heels and rock quarries don't mix."

Betty knew she should advocate for her friend. Part of her wanted to. At the same time, this was hers alone. Like she was special among her group. Chosen, even. Except for Jughead, of course.

He sat down next to her. "What're you doing over here?"

"Waiting for you." She kissed him.

"Kevin's convinced you'll be a Serpent by the end of the week."

She laughed, but did nothing to dissuade him.

Jughead's eyebrows crawled into his beanie. "You'd tell me if that were an option, right?"

"Of course, Juggie. I tell you everything."

It wasn't even that big of a lie. She had no plans to join the gang. And she'd confided in him plenty. Yet a current of craving ran through her. More of this—danger, excitement, newness—was all that could satiate it. She had zero intention of sullying it with a promise she couldn't keep.

Against her better judgment, she headed straight for the locker room after school to dress out for practice. The killer queen herself, Cheryl Blossom, blocked Betty in the hallway before she could even get inside.

"Sorry, Betty, but the River Vixens will no longer associate themselves with Southside trash such as yourself."

"I'm from the Northside. I live next door to Archie, remember?"

"Maybe in person. In spirit, I'd say not so much. Between your hobo boyfriend, your convict of a mother, and your new best delinquent, you're one snake tattoo away from becoming a Serpent."

Betty's blood boiled under her skin. She couldn't care less if Cheryl treated her like crap. Dragging her friends and family into this went a step too far. As such, she swung her hand back and slapped Cheryl across the face, hard. A punishment, not a warning.

"Oh, it is on, bitch." The captain of the River Vixens shoved her subordinate backward against a row of lockers. Bombshell indeed.

It would take more than that to keep Betty down. She grabbed a fistful of that glossy red hair and dragged Cheryl to the floor. Students congregated around them, leaving enough of a ring for their sparring match, chanting for them to fight.

Crimson nails scraped Betty's cheeks. Anger lit her insides like a contrast agent. She climbed on top of the other girl, hands latching onto her throat. Cheryl clasped Betty's wrists and gasped to no avail.

Pure power rippled Betty's arms. Cheryl had wrecked her life for far too long. Now Betty—the real, true her—had taken control. Hell if she would give it up.

"Come on, killer." Toni pulled Betty to her feet. "She's learned her lesson. Right?"

Cheryl glowered in response.

Principal Weatherbee's arrival cut her off next insult. He looked between the three girls. "Miss Topaz, I presume this is your doing?"

"No, sir, it's mine." Betty shielded Toni from his line of sight.

"Miss Cooper, you don't need to cover for anyone."

"I'm not. I started the fight."

"I'm very disappointed to hear that. Do you want to call your mother, or should I?"

Betty followed him to his office as if walking to the gallows. Alice would love this turn of events, all right.

* * *

Meanwhile, Jughead, knowing full well Betty had other plans that day, hauled ass out of Riverdale High approximately 2.5 seconds after the bell rang. He spent the next hour at Pop's, writing his novel and consuming enough burgers and milkshakes to feed half the town.

Veronica ran in, panting, and dropped into the seat across from him with a wince. "Don't ever attempt a fifty-yard dash in five-inch heels."

"I'll make a note of it. What's up?"

"It's Betty."

His heart leapt and sunk in equal measure. "What's the damage?"

"She's gone full dark, no stars at last. Word is, she choked Cheryl."

His head shook of its own accord. "I know Betty. She might get a little moody sometimes, but she's not a violent person."

"Jug, you weren't at Ethel's the night Betty drugged Chuck. I love her to death and in her soul she's incredible and kind. She also has a darkness we can't understand. I thought she'd gotten it in check. Now I'm not so sure."

He planted his elbows on the table. "What, we're supposed to stage an intervention based on the hearsay of Riverdale High?"

"That's not a bad idea. It's not hearsay, though. I missed the show while I was in the locker room. Not everyone did." She played a video on her phone, extending it to him.

Jughead gritted his teeth. There it was, indisputable evidence his girlfriend had gone off the deep end. He shoved the phone aside. "If I know the Coopers, they're about to put her on lockdown."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"Stop them." He gathered his things and headed for the door, Veronica at his side.

Toni had been right. Betty was her own person, and Jughead didn't need to save her. She could use his support, though. That little display was a cry for help if he'd ever seen one. And, while he hated to admit it, the rest of Riverdale might soon require saving from her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Betty perched on the countertop of the Riverdale High girls' bathroom. Mr. Weatherbee had offered her the chance to clean her wounds before her mother arrived. She figured she'd limit the fallout by not having crusted blood on her face.

Toni had promised to keep her from bailing. The irony of her playing chaperone wasn't lost on either of them. She dabbed the nail prints on Betty's cheeks with a wet paper towel.

"Ouch." Betty winced.

"You'll get used to it. Anyway, Cheryl's in much worse shape."

"I'm not sure if I should feel proud or ashamed of that."

Toni shrugged, fitting a butterfly bandage over a cut on Betty's left eyebrow. "I mean, on the one hand, you didn't kill her."

"But on the other, I tried to."

"Did you? What happened, B?"

The use of that nickname warmed Betty from the inside out. Toni had been at her side for two major life events now. They'd earned some familiarity.

Betty took a deep breath, searching for the words to explain the fight. "Cheryl Blossom makes my mother look like a reasonable individual sometimes. She's judged me ever since we were kids. Between her and my mom, it's little wonder I have this deep-seated craving for perfection. Today, she attacked multiple people I care about, including you, and I snapped. I'm finally becoming Dark Betty."

Toni squeezed Betty's hands. "You had a natural reaction. Yeah, you went a bit too far, but I stopped you before it got bad. It doesn't make you a supervillain. Who hasn't wanted to hit Cheryl Blossom once or twice?"

"Right? I don't understand why she's so vile to me."

"Let's see, your father's not a psychopath who murdered your brother, you have a boyfriend who loves you, and actual friends, including me. Now, are you ready to face the fire?" Toni helped Betty off the counter.

"I suppose I have to at some point. I'm betting I'll be grounded for eternity."

"Once you're not anymore, come to the quarry. That darkness inside you? Every single Serpent has it. The difference is, we don't bottle it up until we explode. Maybe if you dip your toes into the devil's water on a regular basis, you can manage your alter ego better."

A thrill charged Betty's spine. If she had to go full dark, no stars she might as well do it right. All or nothing. She was a lot of things. A quitter wasn't among them.

"Thanks, Toni, for everything."

"No problem. You know where to find me."

The girls hugged, and Betty went into the hall. Alice stormed out of the principal's office. Though her jaw was set, features pinched, something in her eyes seemed…proud.

Betty exhaled. Maybe it'd be okay, after all.

"Get in the car, Elizabeth."

Maybe not.

Once they were settled in the station wagon, Alice turned to her daughter. "You got a week of detention and, worse, it's on your permanent record. How can you expect a decent university to accept you now? Plus, you have no idea how this reflects on me and your father."

"I'm so sorry, Mom. Cheryl provoked me, and I lost control. It's inexcusable."

"At least tell me you left a scar."

Betty gaped. "I tried not to."

"That's a shame." Alice started the car.

"Does this mean I'm not grounded?"

She laughed. "Of course you are. This is your second incident this week. I suggest you and Archie learn sign language. That window's as close as you're getting to any of your friends outside of school for a while."

Back at home, Betty slumped to her bedroom with all the enthusiasm of a prisoner. It's not like her parents would keep her in manacles. Two days was still a long time to go without social contact. Even once her suspension ended, she'd be limited to lunch period and her work at _The Blue & Gold._ It was safe to say her tenure with the River Vixens had come to an end.

She'd anticipated spending days, or perhaps weeks, in complete solitude, but fingernails tapped glass within moments of her lying down. All was not yet lost. She leapt off her bed and shoved her window open. Veronica balanced at the top of Fred Andrews's ladder, wearing her cape and a sly grin.

"Don't look up, boys," she called to the ground. "This is not a free show."

Betty stuck her head outside. Jughead and Archie waved and then disappeared around the corner. Excitement trilled her veins, right before a knot cramped her stomach.

"V, what are you doing here?"

"If your bestie can't come to girl time, bring the girl time to your bestie." Veronica climbed into the room with feline grace, proffered a makeup bag. "I figured we'd do each other's nails while you explain what the hell happened."

"You know, at some point, my parents will notice the prevalence of that ladder."

"That's why the boys are distracting them."

Betty's eyebrows crinkled, heart pounding in double rhythm. "How?"

"I believe it has something to do with Jughead breaking in to raid your fridge."

Right on cue, a crash sounded from the kitchen. "Jones, I will call the cops, don't you think I won't," Hal yelled.

Betty stifled a laugh. Too bad Jughead wouldn't be much of a boyfriend if her father ripped his face off. Luckily, Archie's dulcet tones wafted upstairs soon after, defusing whatever tension had arisen.

She sat cross-legged on the floor with Veronica, sorting through various nail polishes.

"What do you think?" Veronica pushed three bottles forward. "Prison orange, black as your soul, or your signature pink?"

"Is there a middle ground?"

"Vivacious violet?"

"Perfect." Betty placed her hand in her best friend's, who filed her nails with comfortable precision.

"Want to tell me what happened today?"

"No." She jerked her wrist. The emery board caught a loose slip of skin on her thumb, tearing it further.

"B, you have to talk about it sometime. Better me than some counselor who doesn't even know you, right?"

Betty sucked her wounded finger. "It's nothing. Cheryl pissed me off for the millionth time, and I freaked out. It happens. You can Google it."

"I totally understand wanting to throttle Cheryl Blossom." Veronica uncapped the nail polish and recaptured her best friend's hand. "And if you'd stopped at the slap and the hair-pulling, I'd throw you a party. Although, I might still do that."

"Veronica—"

"The point is, no one gets in a fight like that over a couple of grade school insults. What's going on in that head of yours? Let me help you."

Tears sprung to Betty's eyes. "Nobody can help me, Veronica. Something's wrong with me, all the way to my bones. I didn't mean to hurt Cheryl, not even a little bit. I got so angry and then when I hit her, it felt so good. Like power was a drug I'd mainlined. I couldn't bear to let go of that, so I didn't."

Veronica's pupils blew out. Pure horror engulfed those dark irises until only solid black remained.

Betty's tears triplicated. "You think I'm crazy."

"I think you're human, and you spend too much time repressing your emotions." Veronica set the nail supplies aside, clasping Betty's wrists. "But I love you, no matter what. Got it?"

Betty nodded.

"Good." Veronica engulfed Betty in her arms, rubbing her back in slow circles.

The embrace dried Betty's tears, but her best friend's reaction continued to burn her retinas. Veronica was scared, whatever she claimed. Betty couldn't even blame her. She would be, too.

She wasn't now. Saturday had awakened her. That's why she'd flipped out right after. Maybe she'd never been pristine, preppy Betty Cooper in the first place. The girl who got high and picked fights like it was nothing could, in fact, be her one true self.

Her previous façade hadn't gotten her anywhere. If accepting this darkness brought her happiness, she'd give it a try. The alternative meant choosing misery, and that was no choice at all.

* * *

Jughead ate leftover pizza at the Coopers' kitchen table. Next to him, Archie drank milk straight from the carton.

Betty's parents sat across from them. Though Alice's posture remained prim, lasers of rage shot from her eyes. These boys were so unhygienic.

Hal didn't even possess the skills required to hide his anger. He shook from head to toe, no doubt planning the double homicide he'd like to commit right about now.

"Here's what we'll do." Jughead stole the milk from Archie. "Betty gets to leave for an hour per day."

"Supervised by us," Archie said, and Alice scoffed.

"By Kevin," Jughead offered.

She nodded. "That could work."

"What?" Hal threw his hands up. "You're the one who banished her to her room."

"I don't know if you've noticed, Hal, but my ideas haven't gotten us anywhere. I sent Polly away, and—" Alice choked on a gasp.

For a moment, he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace so tender, the boys had to avert their eyes.

She wiped all trace of vulnerability from her features afterward. "I want her home by seven, and absolutely no contact with the Southside. Understood?"

"Yes, Mrs. Cooper." Archie leapt up and did the dishes as penance, leaving Jughead grasping for the crusts on his plate.

"And you're replacing that milk, young man," Hal said, as though anybody had asked for, or even cared about, his opinion on the matter.

"I'll bring one from my house right away."

"Still sealed, I hope." Alice fixed him with a pointed look that rendered her previous emotional break a distant memory.

Jughead rose from his seat, tiptoeing toward the stairs. Not that anyone would forget his presence after this particular stunt.

Alice cut him off, arms folded. "Where do you think you're going?"

"One hour, remember?"

Her death glare didn't waver.

He removed his beanie, just long enough to feel naked and exposed. "Please, Mrs. Cooper. I'm sure you recall what it's like to be young and in love."

Though he glanced at the kitchen, she did not. Rather, her eyes stayed pinned on him, albeit softening. "I'll set the timer."

He took the stairs two at a time, lest she change her mind.

Betty stood in her doorway, head cocked. The faint scent of nail polish was the sole remainder of Veronica's clandestine visit. "Did that really happen?"

"Yes." Jughead swept her up in his arms, lips meeting hers with indescribable urgency, and sat on the bed, folding her in his lap. "Should we celebrate?"

"We already are," she said, and pushed him down on the mattress.

He threw his hat to the floor, no longer requiring armor, and pulled her closer to him. Within seconds, she transformed into the wild girl who haunted his daydreams. She arched her back above him, kissing his neck and collarbones, and stripped off her light blue sweatshirt.

He clasped her wrists. "Your parents are downstairs."

"I don't care." She released her ponytail and came for him again. This time, he couldn't find the strength to stop her.

She took his hands in hers and kissed them before placing them on her bare abdomen. Her skin was soft and velvety underneath his. He shivered at the thought of everything that could happen next. No matter how in the moment he forced himself to be, the low drone of her parents' voices buzzed in his ears. It sent waves of adrenaline through his veins, yet somehow he didn't care at all.

"I feel so alive right now, Juggie." Betty brought his hands to her ribcage. "I want you to feel that way, too."

"I always do when I'm with you."

"So let's focus on that and forget everything else."

That's when he unraveled completely. He undid her bra—pink, of course—while she unbuttoned his flannel shirt. With a shuddering breath, he explored every gorgeous inch of her, careful as if she were made of glass.

She gasped, tipping her head back, and whispered his name.

He enveloped her in his arms, her bare skin so warm on his, and crushed his mouth to hers again. The room fell away, from her pink curtains to her window seat to her floral wallpaper. Nothing would get in the way of losing themselves in each other. He could've sung if it wouldn't have corroded his soul.

"Jughead," Alice called up the stairs. "Shouldn't you go home soon?"

His surroundings snapped back into focus. The room oversaturated, dripping color as from an acid trip.

"Mmm." Betty rolled off him, hooking a leg around his hip. "Do we have to stop?"

"If you want me to continue breathing, I'd say yes."

"Necrophilia's not one of my turn-ons."

He laughed. "Wow, you have gone dark."

She laid his hand on her pounding heart. "See what you do to me, Jug?"

"Trust me, it's nothing compared to what you do to me."

She unzipped his jeans, looking up at him through her eyelashes. For a single moment—a split fraction of a second—she touched him in ways he'd often dreamed of but rarely experienced. Fireworks went off in his skull and ricocheted throughout his entire being.

Now she slid away from him and put her sweater back on. Still, his body pulsed with the need she'd awakened within him. He couldn't have refused her anything in this moment.

Then her eyes turned hungry. Feral, like in the video of her fighting with Cheryl. Cold sweat broke out on his neck. This had not been the sweet, tentative make out session he'd expected to have in her parents' proximity.

"A lot can happen in an hour, Jughead. I'll show you sometime."

When she kissed him, his reaction muted. All he could see was that black hole of a stare. He wanted her more than anything—that much remained true. He just wasn't sure he was ready to part with everything she wanted from him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The next day, Betty reported for detention like the good little girl she no longer was. Fangs waited in the hall, waving her closer.

"Hi." She looked around him, but Toni and Sweet Pea were MIA.

Fangs shot Betty a grin the devil himself would be jealous of. "Want to ditch this place? The others are waiting for us."

"I have detention."

"Same. Lucky for you, I also have a way out of it. You in?"

She turned to steel underneath his sharp gaze. He was testing her, seeing if he dared get attached. She hadn't disappointed Toni and Sweet Pea. She wouldn't disappoint Fangs, either.

Betty matched his stare. "Let's go."

He took her into the classroom, where some poor teacher graded an entire semester's worth of papers. "Ma'am?"

"Yes?" She glanced up for all of two seconds.

"Can Betty and I research our chemistry project in the library?"

The teacher's eyes softened upon flitting to Betty. "As long as you come back."

"Of course." His grin grew even more charming if possible. "I'd miss you otherwise."

She blushed. "Go on, then."

Fangs steered Betty to the hall while the other burnouts looked on, flames of jealousy raging in their eyes. "Pretty sweet, huh?"

"So, what, we're hanging out in the stacks all period?" It sounded much nicer than the alternative.

"Something like that."

Once in the library, he led her to the darkest corner. No sooner had she set down her backpack and withdrawn her notebook than he shoved open the closest window. Shelves surrounded it, rendering it invisible to the circulation desk.

Her eyes widened. "You said we'd come back."

"We will." He placed his books on the table. "It's a detour, nothing major."

She bit her lip. Alice had cut her a lot of slack, thanks to Jughead and Archie's negotiating skills. If Betty got caught up at school again, she'd deserve whatever her mother threw at her next.

It was one thing to become a bad girl. She'd prefer to do it responsibly and in a way that caused the minimal amount of damage, if possible.

"Hey, no pressure. I'll tell Toni you couldn't make it." Fangs gripped the windowsill, hauling himself toward the bright freedom beyond.

"Wait."

He dropped to the carpet, soft as a cat. "Yeah?"

Hope glinted in his eyes. Going back to her old self would let the Serpents down. More than that, Betty wanted to go. The stacks closed in on her, further darkening the library. After this, she and Kevin would have an hour at Pop's. Otherwise, her house was all that awaited her. An extra adventure couldn't hurt.

"Yeah," she said.

He cupped his hands for her to place her foot in, boosting her upward. She sat in the window until he'd hit the grass below. He lowered her to the ground by her waist, gentle as if she were made of glass. For a group with such a rough reputation, the Serpents treated her very well.

The rest of the gang stood by a cluster of motorcycles in the parking lot. They cheered upon the unlikely duo's arrival.

"I knew Fangs would spring you." Toni hugged Betty, balancing a backpack on her shoulder.

Betty glanced at the open library window. It remained empty—for now. "Yeah, but we can't stay."

"We have plenty of practice." Sweet Pea waved off her concern. "Nobody's ever gotten caught. Fangs is a natural."

"Except it means I have to get detention every time you guys do." Fangs slapped his friend's back.

"You know you love us, man."

Betty's eyebrows lifted. "You got in trouble for me?"

Fangs popped a shoulder. "I figured it'd give you a chance to prove yourself. Are you going to disappoint me?"

She sighed at the school. The mere thought of its warm, recycled air stifled her lungs. She'd spent her whole life doing what was expected of her. Detention wasn't much of reward. Time to offer herself a real one.

"I'm good," she said, holding his gaze a beat longer than necessary.

A smile split his features. "I can't wait to see."

"Hell, yeah." Toni unzipped her backpack. "I brought you something to celebrate with, if you're interested."

Betty's heart warmed. Of course her other friends did the same. But it was never a surprise when Veronica hit her with a gift certificate or some cupcakes. Presents were easy for people like her. The Serpents didn't have much to spread around, materially speaking. This meant a lot.

Betty reached into the bag, withdrawing a worn, leather jacket with pink racing stripes on the arms. "You shouldn't have, Toni."

"No worries. It's one of my old ones."

Betty slipped on the garment. It fit her perfectly, as if it'd been custom made. A second skin, so to speak. "It looks better broken in, anyway."

"That's the spirit." Sweet Pea winked.

Toni kept the bag aloft, eyes crackling with mischief. "It's a warm up for the real thing."

Betty's pulse skipped. "Does that mean..."

"There's one way to find out."

She unearthed the next prize, eager as a little girl on her birthday. Sure enough, it was a Southside Serpent jacket, complete with the green snake emblem and cracks in the leather. Sparks snapped across her palms. Not a single part of her wanted to let go.

"It belonged to your mom." Toni stroked an aged sleeve. "Legend has it, she chucked it at FP the day she chose domestic bliss. He's held onto it for all these years and agrees you deserve to wear it."

"First, you have to earn it," Sweet Pea warned her. "You up for that, Princess?"

Betty exhaled. She hadn't gone looking for the Serpents, but they'd found her. Unlike everyone else in her life, they had yet to judge her. Now they wanted her for real. Who was she to say no to fate.

She hugged the jacket to her chest, smiling at her new comrades. "Tell me what to do."

All three of them cheered and took turns hugging her. A sign if she'd ever seen one.

"Your initiation starts after detention." Toni retrieved the Serpent jacket from Betty, stowing it in the backpack. "You can ride to the quarry with me."

"Except my mom's forbidden me to go anywhere without Kevin at my side. My curfew's at five now, if you can believe that."

Toni and Sweet Pea winced.

Fangs, on the other hand, arched a dark eyebrow. "Kevin Keller?"

"Do you know another?"

"No, but I'd like to know that one a little better."

"Can you handle him?" Toni asked. "Betty can sneak out the bathroom window of Pop's while you distract Kevin."

"I'll have him in a puddle on the floor by the time you get back."

"My kind of man." Toni bumped fists with Fangs.

Betty's stomach jangled at the prospect of snatching the freedom she'd lost. A current of guilt ran underneath that. Kevin had no part of this. She hated the idea of lying to him, or putting him at risk of her parents' wrath. Sacrificing this afternoon was too much to bear, however. He'd have to understand.

"Sounds great," she said before hashing out a plan for her escape.

Afterward, Fangs boosted her back up to the library window. She gripped his hand while he climbed through, even though he could get inside alone. It was the thought that counted.

Her breath quickened as she journeyed to the school's front steps. Kevin waited with a huge grin. Together, they walked to Pop's, him telling her about everything that'd happened at wrestling practice that day.

"And I was like, 'Archie, swing your leg from your other left.'" Kevin shook his head. "Apparently, abs of steel aren't a substitute for actual training. It's a nice resting place for my eyes, though."

Betty agreed, remembering how she used to peek out her window for a glimpse of Archie taking his shirt off. Those days had ended, but the memories never would.

"How was detention?"

"Not too bad. I worked on a chemistry project the whole time."

"Which somehow resulted in you getting a leather jacket?"

"Oh, this old thing?" She traced a pink stripe. Not even the teacher had noticed the update to Betty's wardrobe. "It was in the lost in found. Nobody's claimed it, so I figured it was fair game."

"It looks good. Very gangbanger chic."

"Shut up." She slugged his arm as they approached Pop's. "Can you order for me? I'm going to the bathroom."

"Don't take too long." He plopped down in their favorite booth. "We don't have all night."

She held a hand over her face in mock embarrassment. "I'm having, um, cramps. I need a minute."

"Don't worry. I'll keep him company." Fangs swaggered in behind them. "Hey, Pop, bring us a double dark chocolate milkshake—with two straws."

Kevin blushed to his V-neck.

Betty waltzed into the bathroom. She had some time to kill, all right. For now, she shoved the window up, much as she and Fangs had done minutes before this, and leapt to the parking lot. She fell to her knees, soles slipping on the asphalt. If this became regular endeavor, she'd need shoes with better traction.

Toni helped her to her feet. "You okay?"

"I can handle a few scrapes."

"Good, because you'll have more by the end of this. Metaphorically speaking, anyway. You still in?"

Betty clutched her friend's hands. "You don't have to keep asking, Toni. I'm not going anywhere. You guys mean something to me. I want to be one of you, for real."

"You know that includes Jughead, right?" Sweet Pea sauntered up, biting his lip. "He's already at the quarry."

She shrugged. "He is my boyfriend."

"That doesn't guarantee he'll approve of this." Toni scoffed. "Not that he cared what anyone thought about him becoming a Serpent. There's no accounting for hypocrisy, I suppose."

Sweet Pea nodded. "You're all right, Betty, but relationship drama isn't. If this drives you two apart, you'll have to make a choice."

"Then let's go do that, before someone sees us." She grabbed her helmet from Toni.

The girls mounted the bike and zipped to the quarry. Sweet Pea followed. Further behind, Kevin Keller lost himself to a milkshake and a pair of dark, soulful eyes. Betty kept hers straight ahead, on the future that waited for her. Not one doubt racked her mind.

At last, she'd done something for herself and nobody else. If that wasn't a good thing, nothing ever could be.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Betty shook upon arriving at her initiation site. Not because of fear or regret. Rather, excitement thrummed her veins. Like the nights she'd cheered for the Bulldogs, except amplified by a hundred. This was her time. She'd enjoy every second of it.

First, she had to get past Jughead. He laughed and talked with a group of Serpents. When she dismounted, he stopped in his tracks, jaw all but dropping. Her stomach clenched, but she held his gaze. She had as much right to this place as he did.

"Want some backup?" Toni asked.

Betty placed her helmet on the bike. "Thanks, but have to do this on my own. I'll find you afterward."

"You better, girl. I'm not letting you off that easy."

"I'd expect nothing less." Betty hugged Toni, then strutted across the rocks.

Jughead met her halfway, hands in his jeans pockets, eyes cast down. It reminded her of when they first got together, how nervous and sweet he'd been. Before everything became so complicated.

Affection ran through her veins like a narcotic. "Hey, Jug."

"Fancy meeting you here, Betty. You didn't tell me you were coming."

"I thought you'd judge me or try to send me away." She steeled herself for his reaction.

"All I want is to protect you. I love you so much it scares me sometimes."

"Like I do?"

He shrugged, neck and shoulders tight as wire.

"I don't need your protection, Jughead. I can make my own decisions, same as you did. Yours got you here, and mine have too. Maybe we should see that as fate and stop fighting it."

The words deflated him, fast as a popped balloon. "I'm not going to stand in your way anymore, Betty. I hope this works out how you're planning. In the event you fall, I'll catch you."

Those few sentences encapsulated everything she'd ever loved about Jughead Jones. Things had been rocky as of late, true. At least he'd caught up to her line of thinking. That was more than she could say for some people.

"I love you, Jug." She slipped her fingers in the belt loops of his jeans, pulling him to her. "I'm ready to stand beside you now."

"Then I'm ready to have you."

When they kissed, magic sunk into their lips, as from a transdermal drug, and flowed underneath their skin. It linked them together, once again. This time, she wouldn't have to let it subside. As Serpents, they'd be equals.

"All right, lovers." Sweet Pea nestled between them, an arm around each of their shoulders. "Can we get on with this, or are you going to make me puke?"

"I need to brush my teeth after that saccharine display." Toni joined them, holding a leash attached to a very hairy, slobbery mutt.

Betty kneeled to pet him. "Aw, who's this?"

"Your new charge." Jughead patted the little one's head. "His name's Hot Dog."

"But we call him the Beast," Toni said dramatically.

"How come?"

The other three laughed in tandem.

"You'll find out soon enough," Sweet Pea promised.

"Too soon." Jughead straightened. "He's your problem for the next few days. I'd offer to let him crash at my place, but the carpet's still torn up from the last time. I don't know how you'll get him past your mother."

"Oh, I'll think of something." Betty gathered the leash. "I always do, remember?"

The Case of the Beast was officially open. She'd solved every other mystery in town. No reason this couldn't follow suit.

"That all?"

Toni shook her head. "You're good on the misogynistic ritual we call pole dancing, but you still need to learn the Serpent Laws and recite them before the entire gang."

Betty nodded. She'd gotten an A-plus on her oral history exam last week. This wasn't so different. Studying was one of her prized skills.

Taking her clothes off in the bar and then baring her soul on that stage had been the hard part. As was living a lie, every day she pretended to be all right. What came next would be a breeze in comparison.

It had to be. If the Serpents dared to reject her, she'd float through life untethered. Sure, she'd still have Archie and Veronica, as well as her parents. They didn't understand her. She didn't think they ever would.

Jughead proffered his hand, where two puncture wounds shone silver. "Plus, you can't forget the snakebite."

Betty raked in a breath. Of course the snake wouldn't be poisonous. She didn't want to get bit by anything—well, except maybe…never mind. Anyway, it wasn't like she'd be the first person to do this.

On that note, she looked into the eyes of the three people in this town whose shared feelings engulfed her. This was what Jughead had meant about finding a family. She hadn't understood it when he'd experienced it, seeming to block her out on every level. Tonight, the feeling was unmistakable.

The Serpents were a chain and she was the link necessary to close the loop. Now she'd guarantee that happened.

"Consider me an official recruit." She grinned—right as Hot Dog peed on her shoe. Well, he wasn't called the Beast for nothing.

They drank to her declaration after that, and not with milkshakes. Her curfew came calling by the time they'd all had a round. She accepted Jughead's offer of a ride in FP's truck, which he'd borrowed to haul her canine charge in. Once she earned her jacket, she'd have plenty of nights to celebrate. This was the first of many.

Not if Kevin reported her disappearance to her mother. They rolled up to Pop's to find him in the parking lot, running his hands through his hair until he appeared to have jammed his finger in a light socket.

"I saw her go into the bathroom, I know it." He paced the asphalt, next to Fangs. "What if there's another killer on the loose? If Betty's dead because of me, I'll never sleep again."

She rubbed her forehead in the truck, which Jughead idled out of sight. "I'm a terrible person. Look how worried he is."

"Nothing a few years of Botox won't solve. Come on, we'll fix it."

They parked around the corner and walked to Pop's. Jughead caught Fogarty's gaze and pointed to the backside of the building. Within seconds, Jughead and Betty pressed up against that wall, lips locked and hands roving like they hadn't kissed in weeks.

"See, man, she's right here," Fangs said.

Kevin gaped. "The whole time?"

"Sorry, Kev." Betty buried her face in Jughead's shoulder. "We haven't seen each other much lately. I got a little carried away."

"I was afraid you'd literally been carried away. Dragged, even." Kevin threw his arms around both of them. Hot Dog barked in response. "Who's this?"

"Oh, I'm pet sitting for Jug."

"I didn't know you had a dog."

Jughead didn't blink. "It's more of a communal dog. Betty's on rotation this week."

"Cool, I guess." Kevin widened his eyes at her. "Are you ready to go? Your mother looked like she was mid-aneurism when she told me what time to bring you back."

Betty tugged on Hot Dog's leash. He fell into step with her on the sidewalk. Maybe not so beasty after all. No sooner had she thought that than he dove for a poodle coming in the opposite direction. Of course. She dragged him away.

Kevin jogged to catch up. "Is that alcohol on your breath?"

"Mouthwash."

"Whatever you say." He passed her a mint, smirking.

She chewed it to bits. Wintergreen exploded behind her lips like ice-cold water splashing over fresh snow. Balancing these dual personalities would be difficult but not impossible.

Kevin proved that by getting her home with minutes to spare. She decided to use that opportunity to stash her new pet. Archie's garage would be the perfect spot, so long as Hot Dog didn't chew the guitar leads.

Of course, that's what would happen.

Before Betty could get to Archie, he came to her. He tossed a pebble at her window, stage whispering her name.

"It's not even dark yet, Arch." She walked up to him.

Hot Dog promptly peed again—this time on Archie's shoe. Ugh. No way Alice would let her keep this thing in the house.

Archie rubbed his foot on the grass. "Sorry, I didn't realize you weren't home. Hey, what're you wearing?"

"It's called a jacket. You might've heard of them."

"It's not you."

Betty ran a hand over the cracked sleeves. "Maybe I don't want to be me anymore."

Confusion twisted his features. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Whatever's going on has to stop. First, you hang out with Serpents like it's no big deal. Now you're wearing their clothes? Veronica's scared to death of what you're becoming. To be honest, I am too."

"Becoming?" Betty took a measured step toward Archie.

He shrunk back. "I mean—"

"I'm not a werewolf, Archie." She popped the bubble of personal space around him. Hot Dog growled for extra effect. "Stop trying to save me. Everything I've done with the Serpents has been my choice. They've respected that, which is more than I can say for my other so-called friends."

"Betty, I care about you."

"Then let me live my life." With that, Betty tied Hot Dog to a fencepost. She had a basket and a length of rope she could pull him into her room with. It wasn't ideal, but she'd make it work. It was clear she couldn't trust Archie with her little beast.

"I'm not giving up on you, Betty," Archie called as she ascended her porch. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

"Watch me," she said, and disappeared inside the house, slamming the door behind her.

Betty had given Archie every opportunity to side with her. He'd dismissed each of them. She'd be a Serpent in a matter of days, anyway. They would never let her down.


End file.
